Full fashioned stocking heel con



T h M L Nov. 14, 1933.

FULL FASHIONED STOCKING Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES FULL FASHIONED STOCKING HEEL CON- STRUCTION AND METHOD FORPRODUC- ING SAME Jacob A. Goodman, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application September 16, 1931 Serial No. 563,184

11 Claims. ((21. 66-187) This invention relates to flat knit full-fashioned hosiery and has particular reference to the production of an improved heel construction therefor, having a shape more nearly in conformity with the curve of the human heel.

According to conventional modern practices, the heel portions of full-fashioned stockings are knit in flat conditionto terminal looping courses at the bottom of the foot to form tabs, that is, strips of fabric with inside and outside selvage edges, as a continuation of the leg fabric. The inside selvage edges are later topped to a transfer bar with a row of instep loops preparatory to being transferred to the footer. edges thereof are later gathered in the rear s'eam when the stocking is assembled. To give some shaping to the lower portion of the heel and to prevent an absolutely square corner where the rear edges of theheel meet the under edges of the fabric at the terminal looping course, it has been the practice to fashion the heel tabs beginning about an inch from the lower edge by narrowing the fabric during the knitting operation. This is accomplished by the use of narrowing needles'which are operated to transfer edge fashioning loops inwardly usually the extent of two needles, at suitable course intervals.

The usual construction, while in 'a sense constituting a fashioned heel, does not properly fit the human heel by reason of the fact that the method of fashioning as now practiced does not produce a suflicient curve at the rear edges of the fabric, with the result that such edges meet the looping line along the bottom at a considerable angle.

Under existing practice the fashioning marks meet the terminal course several wales away from the outer heel selvage, and, although the practice varies slightly, there are generally ten to fifteen wales between the fashioning marks and the selvage. Because fashioning throws the wales of the fabric out of parallelism, courses are thrown out of line. Thus, the existing heel fashioning throws the terminal looping course out of line in a direction opposite to that required for proper heel rounding. In addition, under the existing practice, fashioning is done at regular course intervals, each time to the extent of the same number of needles, usually two. This fashioning describes a straight line. Thus, heel fashioning as practiced, merely attempts to lop off or bevel the outside lower corner of the tab which would present a square angle if no fashioning were resorted to. art fashioning there is a square angle corner or pocket which produces a bulky dog ear and this projects downwardly from the normal line of the terminal course instead of contributing to the heel rounding.

When the stocking is seamed up an appreci- The outside selvage."

In spite of this prior able and relatively bulky corner is formed which does not conform to the shape of the human heel and is apt to cause irritation to the wearer. Furthermore, it is very diflicult to properly seam this portion of the stocking with the result that an undue amount of fabric adjacent the selvage edges is frequently gathered in' the seam.

To overcome the objections to the ordinary type of heel construction, and, more specifically, to eliminate the usual heel corner" or pocket,

the present invention contemplates a more perfect fashioning along the selvage edges of the heel, which will facilitate the proper seaming of the selvage edges. Itis also proposed to produce a fully rounded heel curving gradually from its rear edge to meet the bottom of the stocking foot at no perceptible angle.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention eliminates the usual looping ordinarily used in the lower edge of the heel from its meeting with the rear seam to its inner or front edge where it joins the lower foot sole by providing continuous, properly shaped selvage edges which curve gradually inwardly or forwardlyto practically meet the line of intersection between the heel and the foot sole.

In the proposed construction where the rounding is desired not only at the lower end of the heel but also upwardly thereof the fashioning is commenced higher in the heel than is usual and is repeatedat relatively frequent course intervals. To obtain a fully rounded effect, the transfer operation is repeated in every succeeding course for part of the length of the rear selvage edges. Whereas, according to accepted practices only about ten narrowing operations are made in shaping the heel, it is now proposed to use from twenty to fortynarrowings, the exact number being determined according to the particular heel shape desired. Further, the conventional heel is seldom narrowed beyond twenty wales, whereas I prefer to narrow anywhere from forty to eighty wales to obtain better shaping,

the number of wales being'determined according to the extent to which the knitted loops are transferred. While the fashioning operation should be repeated every course for part of the length to obtain a fully rounded effect, the fashioning along other portions of the selvage edges may be repeated at less frequent intervals. Thus, the frequency of the transfer operations may be progressively increased from top to bottom beginning, say, with narrowing at every fourth or fifth course in the upper heel and as the knitting proceeds repeating the fashioning operation in more frequent courses, successive course narrowing being used in the whole of the lower heel. 0n the other hand, particularly in the preferred construction where the narrowing is continued to the vicinity of the front selvage edge so that the front and rear selvage edges nearly meet, the course frequency of narrowing may be decreased at one or more places from top to bottomfrom one to any number of 5 courses desired, wherever this if found advisable to properly round the fabric to conform to the humanheel.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the shapeand curve of the heel may be regulated to suit individual tastes in accordance with the course frequency at which narrowing of the fabric is effected at various stages longitudinally of the rear selvage edges and the number of stitches eliminated during each of the narrowing operations.

Since the primary object of theinvention is the elimination of the usual sharp heel corner, formed ordinarily at the intersection of the rear selvage edges with the terminal looping courses along the bottom of the heel, a rounded heel may also be formed by fashioning the rear selvage edges to leave a short terminal course edge on the heel fabricand then looping and trimming such edges along a curved line upwardly to meet the rear selvage edges, rounded by fashioning,

at little or no sharp angle.

My heel may be fashioned to produce lines of marks parallel to the adjacent selvage edges in which case the fashioning marks as well as the and thus produce a structure different from the prior art. However, this is not necessary. The edge fashioning wales may be few or many and may continue the same in number or vary as the knitting progresses, but it is important that the fashioning be. carried to the immediate vicinity of the terminal course at the bottom of the heel so as to cause the line of fashioning marks to be near either the rear or front selvage edge at V such course. Preferably, at the terminal course the fashioning is carried out over a small number of loops in the region of the outer selvage edge in all of the embodiments of my invention, but this is less important in the preferred embodiments in which narrowing is carried near to the front selvage edge at the terminal course. In embodiments in which the fashioning does not merge with the front selvage edge the fashioning at the terminal course should be of narrow width so that the fashioning marks lie near the rear selvage edge at or near this course.

Having generally described my invention, I will now proceed to a more detailed description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a stocking showing the heel thereof fashioned according to the present invention;

' Fig. 2 is a view of a stocking blank illustrating more or less diagrammatically the manner of producing the round heel construction of the stocking shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of a stocking with a fashioned heel construction constituting a slight modifi- 5 cation of that shown in Fig. 1, the fashioning terminating short of the line defining the intersection of the heel with the lower foot;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a stocking having a fashioned heel of' a shape similar to the stocking shown in Fig-1 and differing therefrom in the width of the fashioned area and. the positioning of the fashioning marks defining the same; and M Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of the heel of the stocking shown in Fig. 4.

selvage edges will generally describe curved lines In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my rounded heel construction, the nature of which may be more clearly understood from Fig. 2 which shows a stocking blank in flat condition. Reference character 10 indicates a portion of the leg fabric and numeral 11 the heel tabs which are knit as a continuation thereof. In Fig. 1 the lower foot portion of the stocking is indicated at 12, the same, according to predominating practice, being knit onto the inner or front selvage edges 13 of the heel. In producing the curved heel of the present invention consisting in transferring a predetermined number of end fashioning loops, the fashioning is commenced fairly high in the heel, and is continued as the knitting proceeds to form edge fashioning wales and produce fashioned areas 18 defined by rows of fashioning marks 14 describing curved lines and producing inwardly curving selvage edges. In the particular heel construction-illustrated in Fig. 1, a narrowing of two or less stitches is made in each fashioning operation which in the upper portion of the heel down, say, to the fashioning mark 15 may be repeated about every four or five courses to produce a gradual curve. To obtain a fully rounded effect and prevent an abrupt corner, the narrowing in the lower portion of the heel is repeated in substantially every course down about to the lower extremity 16 of the heel, with the result that finished selvage edges will be produced which meet the lower terminal course or edge of'the stocking fabric at approximately a point described by the meeting of the inner selvage edge and the line of fashioning marks which are two or more loops from the rear selvage edge.

In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fashioning is continued as far as practicable until the rear selvage edges approximately meet the inner edges 13 of the heel which define the line of joinder between the heel and lower foot. The advantage of this construction resides not only in the fact that a rounded heel is produced but, further, in the elimination of the usual lower end tabs of the heel which, according to present practices, have to becut off and then the lower edges of the heel joined on a looping machine. Furthermore, in assembling the stocking, a single seam 16 may be made which continues from the top portion of the 125 stocking downwardly smoothly around the heel and along the edges of the foot, thus entirely eliminating the usual heel looping and trimming operation, and the costs incident thereto, and enabling the seam for the leg, heel and foot to be made in one instead of two sections with resulting increase in strength of the heel section. According to usual practice the heel looping, seaming of the leg and seaming of the foot are -separate operations performed on two different machines. Also, in the seaming operations the ends of the looping line are frequently seamed over with the result that bulges are produced which are uncomfortable and interfere with the fit of the heel. The latter possibility is done away with in the proposed construction.

While certain advantages arise from fashion-.- mg the heel so that its rear selvage edges curve inwardly to meet the inner edges thereof, a satisfactory rounded heel may, nevertheless, be produced, as shown in Fig. 3, by discontinuing the fashioning operation short of the inner edges of the heel. In this case, the successive course fashioning indicated by fastening marks 20 is preferably begun higher up in the heel so that the point 24 are joined by a seam 23 which continues to gather in the lower edges 21 of the heel to the line 25, as indicated in broken lines, and may be extended through the foot. The lower edges 21 may, if preferred, be looped according to present practice and separate seams used in the leg and foot. This construction differs from the usual type of stocking in that the heel corner is eliminated by reason of the particular method of fashioning used.

In the heel construction shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3, there is the same number of edge fashioning wales throughout the fashioned area 18 and this fashioning is produced by narrowing along lines parallel with the edges by utilizing the same number of transfer or narrowing points on the knitting machine ineach course in which fashioning is'effected. The width of the fashioned areas adjacent the selvage edges of the heel may be regulated at will according to the number of transfer points used. Preferably, the fashioning is effected in relatively narrow areas along the edge so that the fashioning marks defining such areas will form lines parallel to the selvage edges and lying either within or just outside of the seam. It will be understood, however, that the line of fashioning marks need not run parallel to the edges and the seam but, on the other hand, may be made to run at an angle thereto without materially changing the shape of the heel merely by varying the number of transfer points used in the different 'courses' narrowed. The advantage of fashioning along parallel lines is primarily a matter of convenience and appearance.

If it is desired to fashion in a wider band adjacent the edges of the heel, a stocking may be fashioned to produce a fully rounded heel similar to that shown in Fig. 1 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In such modified construction,-

the heel 40 is fashioned along a relatively wide area adjacent the edges defined by fashioning marks 41. Such area, as indicated, may be made to extend parallel to the edges by using the same number of transfer points in the various courses. As in the previous constructions, the fashioning operation is repeated at course intervals that give the desired round effect. To produce a better appearance and a neat effect similar to the French toe, the fashioned area may be run parallel to the selvage edge down to a point defined by fashioning mark 42 and then the fashioned area may be tapered towards the selvage edge to the point 43 without changing its rounded character. As before a transfer is effected in every succeeding course down to the point 43, but between the fashioning mark 42 and the point 43 a gradually decreasing number of transfer points is used with the result that the line of fashioning marks tapers to meet the selvage edge at the point 43. The result of this method of producing a rounded heel can be best seen in Figure 5.

selvage edges near together.

phases embodied in combination gave'a construction that is fully rounded to conform to the humal heel and is without bulky projecting corners that cause discomfort to the wearer. On the one hand there is the variation of course interval of transfer which gives the heel the proper curvature to fit the human heel, on the other hand, the fashioning at the terminal course is near the outerselvage edge or inside selvage edge or is in theregion of the inside and outside This contributes to the rounded effect and eliminates the bulky projecting corner.

What I claim is:

1. In a full fashioned stocking, complementary heel portions knit to a terminal course and having rear selvage edges joined in a scam, the heel being narrowed in an area along each selvage edge, each area being defined by a row of fashioning marks lying inwardly of and along one of said edges, the width of the fashioned areas in the vicinity of the terminal course being short and such that the extremities of the areas will be of about the same width as the seam which joins the selvage edges.

2. A full fashioned stocking including rounded heel portions knit with rear selvage edges and finishing on their forward side in a single wale from which extend the side sole portions of the stocking foot, the rear selvage edges curving and meeting the bottom of the stocking foot in the vicinity of the forwardmost wale of the heel;

3. In a knitted stocking, complementary heel portions knitted to a terminal course and finishing on the forward side in a single wale from which extend the side sole portions of the foot, the heel portions each having a rear selvage edge which are joined together in a seam, a line of fashioning marks in each of the heel portions defining with the rear selvage edge a fashioned area comprising edge fashioning wales, the line of fashioning marks being sufficiently close to the rear selvage edges at the terminal course that the fashioned areas will be of about the same width as the seam which joins the. edges.

4. A full fashioned stocking including a heel portion knit to a terminal course, an adjoining foot portion, a rear selvage edge in the heel portion, a seam securing said edge, the heel portion having an area of narrowing defined on its inner side by a row of fashioning marks extending along the rear selvage edge and causing said edge to bend around towards the bottom of the foot portion so that in its lower part the edge will be substantially tangent to the bottom of the part of the stocking lying on the forward side of the row of fashioning marks, the fashioned area being of narrow width at the terminal-course and substantially coextensive in width with the seam, so that the lower extremity of the fashioned area and the seamsecuring the selvage edge will not project appreciably beyond the bottom of the stocking by reason of the inclination of the courses in the fashioned area with respect to the corresponding courses of the heel proper.

5. A full fashioned stocking including' complementary rounded heel portions knit with rear selvage edges to a terminal course, areas of narrowing along said edges starting well up in the heel portions and extending downwardly to the terminal course so as to incline the selvage edges inwardly, the narrowing in the lower parts of the areas being more abrupt than in the upper parts so that the inclined portions of the rear selvage edges will assume a curved shape and bend more 150 sharply inwardly as they approach the terminal course, thus to cause the selvage edges to extend substantially tangent to the portion of the stocking which lies inwardly of and adjacent to the fashioned areas, the areas of narrowing being sufliciently narrow in width at the terminal course that the extremities of the rear selvage edges will line in close proximity to the lower edges of the portions of the stocking which lie adjacent the fashioned areas.

6. A full fashioned stocking including rounded heel portions knit with front and rear selvage edges, the rear selvage edges curving and meeting the bottomof the stocking foot in the vicinity of the front selvage edge.

.7. In a knitted stocking, a heel tab knitted to a terminal course, a front and a rear selvage edge, a line of fashioning marks defining, with the rear selvage edge, a fashioned area comprising edge fashioning wales, the line of fashioning marks extending substantially to the front selvage edge at the terminal course.

8. A full fashioned knitted stocking including complementary heel portions having rear selvage edges joined in a seam, areas of narrowing defined by rows of fashioning marks lying along the rear selvage edges, the rows of fashioning marks in their upper portions extending along and in spaced relation with the edges and then abruptly changing direction to taper outwardly towards the edges.

9. A full fashioned stocking including rounded heel portions knit with rear selvage edges joined in a seam, the heel fabric being fashioned in areas adjoining the selvage edges to produce a curved shape, the fashioned areas being of uniform width for the major portion of their lengths and at their lower ends tapering to meet the seam. 10. The method of knitting a stocking heel fabric with a front and a rear selvage edge, which comprises knitting successive courses down to a terminal course, transferring groups of edge loops inwardly repeatedly as knitting progresses towards the terminal course to round the rear edge towards the bottom of the stocking foot and produce a line of fashioning marks that at the terminal course is spaced from the rear selvage edge a distance approximately equal to the width of the gathered seam normally used to secure rear selvage edges.

11. The method of knitting a rounded stocking heel consisting in knitting the heel with front and rear selvage edges and fashioning the heel by narrowing along the rear selvage edges to meet the bottom of the stocking foot in the vicinity of the front selvage edges.

JACOB A. GOODMAN. 

